Mole-trap



(No Model.)

S. T. GRIMMETT.

MOLE TRAP.

No. 890,362. Patented Oct 2, 1888..

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Phnlulilhographer, wmhingtm n. a

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

MOLE TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 390,362, dated October 2, 18?:8.

Application filed January 28, i588. Serial No. 262,254.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, SAMUEL T. GRIMMETT, of \Vest Plains, in the county of Howell and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mole-Traps, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple mole-trap, which may be easily constructed by any farmer, and which may also be used for killing snakes.

It consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts,which I will now proceed to describe, with reference to the drawings, in which- Figure 1 isaside elevation of the mole-trap. Fig. 2 is an underneath View of the board. Fig. 3 is a top view of the same, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified construction of set stick or trigger.

In the drawings, A represents a stout board, which at one end is provided with several sharp pins or spikes,a, and from the middle of which board there also projects on the same side of the board a group of sharp pins or spikes, b.

B O D are the three sticks of an ordinary figure 4 fall-trap. These sticks are too well known to requirespecific description, and their function is to sustain one end of the board A in inclined position. The purpose of the pins a at the end of the board is to afford, by penetrating the ground,,a lirm position for the board, so that the end of the board which rests on the ground may not slip and cause the premature fall ofthe trap. The other pins, 1), are for the purpose of surrounding or impaling the mole.

In setting the trap a mole tunnel is sought, which represents their main route, and this tunnel is mashed down with the foot at any point, so as to close the hole beneath, and the board A is then set crosswise the tnnnel,wit.h one end, carrying pins a, resting in the ground and the other end elevated and overlapping the tunnel and sustained upon the set sticks 13 O D. The long set stick D is adjusted so that its free or trigger end rests directly upon or above the mashed-down part of the tunnel, just above which is the central group of pins (No model.)

in the board. The board is then sufficiently weighted with bricks or stones and the trap is set. When the mole passes along this route and finds his way obstructed at the collapsed point of the tunnel, he at once commences to burrow through, and in doing so the earth lifts the trigger D of the set sticks, and, throwing the sticks out of interlocked position,allows the board to fall,and the central group of pins penetrate the earth and either imprison or impale the mole.

On the back of the board A, I attach asharp longitudinal knife, E, which I employ in connection with the other features of the trap for killing snakes. When used for this purpose, the board is simply turned over so that the knife is on the under side, and the trap is set with the trigger stick D across the path of the snake, so that when he crawls across this stick he will throw the trap, and the knife descending upon him will cut him in two. This trap may be made of any size, and is adapted to catch any kind of animal.

As a modification of the set sticks shown in Fig. 1, I may use a special form of set stick, B D, as shown in Fig. 4. This consists of two rigidlyattachcd sticks connected together at right angles. The trigger end D rests above the mole-track, and when raised throws the upper end of the prop-stick B from beneath the board.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. The combination, with the set or fall sticks, as described, of the board A, having the pins a and b on one side and the longitudinal knife E on the other, substantially and for the purpose described- 2. The combination, with the board having points or prongs, as described, of the set stick composed of the prop -stick B, and. triggersection D, rigidly connected to'the prop stick and projecting laterally therefrom, substantially as and for the purpose described.

SAMUEL T. GRIMMETT.

Witnesses:

J. H. UTLEY, ELMER SToNE. 

